We are a group of friends who celebrate a shared interest in WW2 . We aim to organize and attend various WW2 reenactments, engage in high quality living history, educate the public and keep alive the memory of those who made sacrifices during WW2.

This week I took delivery of my recent ebay win, an early war 1943 dated Coleman 520 Stove. This was listed in the WW2 field gear section on ebay.com, and I managed to pick it up for the amazing price of $18.50 or £11.87 at current exchange rate.

This was the sellers text“personal gear camp cooking stove marked very faintly US 1943 and underneath is letter C and cannot make out anything else. Any Coleman experts or military gear people may be able to tell from the many photos I have uplifted with item description. Sold as-is no return. The black open/close knob has no damage and turns freely and the pump pumps freely. The leather on pump is still supple and soft. Uses non leaded white gasoline. Nice instructions on two supports detailing FUEL-PUMP and LIGHTING. Stove is 8 1/4 inch tall and alum pot is inch tall. Comes with exta brass tip (see photo). The lever by gas nozzle is frozen stiff but can be repaired...I simply did not want to take apart. No leaking tank. Nice original colors. The pot is aluminum and has no marking and is not damage or repaired. Pot snaps secure to stove by pressure clip which is all there and working. Unit is used and shows the usual scratches from the years. Has a brass tag attached stating "Civil Defense" easily readable. The burner looks clean and usable but I have NOT tried to fire up this unit. What you see in photos is exactly what you will receive”

After using a bit of penetrating oil, and then using a blow torch on the stem assembly I managed to free up the stuck parts and tonight got it working for probably the first time in many years.

This is an early pattern stove. There are a number of differences in it to the standard GI stove. The fuel container is a different colour and is made of steel, not brass. The steel containers are better as they tend not to split from pressure. The filler cap is smaller than the standard one. And there is also no priming cup. Attached to its frame is a clip that pushes in and out and acts as the retainer for the stove container, which is a single pot, as opposed to the later two part pots.

The areas circled below indicate certain difference in later 520’s.The “clip” that moves in and out when the pot is placed over the stove, the smaller spare parts tube and finally, a plate riveted on the state property of US Government-civil defence

Heehee! I was thinking that! Its the second one I've seen-same style, same date and both have "Civil Defense" plaques on them, and I'm wondering if it was a design made solely for Civil Defence and NOT the military. May have to post up on the WW2 Militaria forum..